Episode
How a Judge Changed My Life: Chef Carlo Scotto on Finding Purpose Through Italian Cooking
- Podcast
- The Recipe
- Published
- Apr 17, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1923
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- https://episode.flightcast.com/01KPAQQ6JVSJDG6K8KQ2SXNM9Y.mp3
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Summary
In this episode, Theo is joined by the brilliant Carlo Scotto, a chef whose cooking is driven by memory, emotion, and fearless creativity. Born and raised near Naples, Carlo began cooking as a teenager after a life-changing encounter with a judge who saw potential in a troubled young man and offered him a path to redemption through food. From his early days washing pots at the legendary Don Salvatore in Naples to mastering his craft in London's most ambitious kitchens including Murano with Angela Hartnett and La Chapelle with the Galvin brothers, Carlo's journey is a testament to the transformative power of hospitality and the enduring influence of Italian tradition. With stints in Paris and experience across Europe, Carlo has forged an extraordinary career whilst staying deeply connected to the flavours and stories of his Neapolitan roots. Carlo prepares his beloved Farfalle Pasta a La Genovese recipe, a deeply personal tribute to his late grandmother who first taught him to make pasta as a little boy. This rich, comforting dish takes the classic Neapolitan interpretation of Genovese, a slow-cooked onion sauce with origins in Genoa that arrived in Naples through the historic port trade, and elevates it with decadent bone marrow, 36-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, and a silky onion puree made with chicken and beef stock, shallot vinegar, and fresh thyme. The handmade farfalle pasta, crafted from a unique dough taught to him by a British chef using pasta flour, semolina, six egg yolks, one whole egg, milk, and oil for elasticity, is pinched perfectly to hold the sauce whilst achieving that elusive al dente bite. This recipe beautifully encapsulates Carlo's cooking philosophy of honouring tradition whilst embracing global influences, creating dishes that are comforting y…